The Malta Gay Rights Movement said it favoured the introduction of divorce, which it said was a civil right that should be legally available to everyone living in Malta.

“We oppose the concept of a nanny state which determines for how long adults should love each other. This is a choice that lies solely with the individuals concerned. Once a marriage has irretrievably broken down, then the possibility of remarriage should be made available with all its attendant rights and obligations,” the movement said.

The MGRM said two consenting adults who entered into a civil marriage should be able to terminate such arrangement when the relationship, “for whatever reason”, broke down.

It added that children should be adequately catered for but this applied irrespective of the relationship status of the parents involved.

“Parents should provide for their children whether they are married, separated, cohabiting, divorced, remarried or hold any other status. Moreover, current legislation already provides for the maintenance of children where a relationship has broken down.”